XboxEra's Reviews
Overall, Thank Goodness You’re Here is an absolute gem of a game full of humanity and fun. Coal Supper really have done an excellent job capturing the heart and soul of the community of Barnsworth, and the game took me nostalgically back to TV I watched when I was young, whilst also making me laugh out loud from the start to the end. If you want something extremely silly, absurd and exceptionally well made to spend a couple of hours with, then you should definitely check it out.
Death Howl is one of 2025's best games, mixing Soulslike and Deck builders into something I never knew I needed so badly.
OCTOPATH TRAVELER 0 is a damn good JRPG. The world, despite my grievances with the main story, is interesting and fun to explore when the game lets you. Wishvale’s rebirth’s best parts aren’t the uninteresting city building but, again, the stories of the characters within. With great music and visuals accompanying all this, you can’t go wrong with SQUARE ENIX’s latest turn-based title. ∎
While I don't quite feel like Marvel Cosmic Invasion hits the dizzying heights achieved by Shredder's Revenge and Streets of Rage 4, this is still an excellent chapter in the recent renassiance of the scrolling beat 'em up genre and well worth your time whether you're a Marvel fan or a scrolling beat 'em up fan. But obviously a must buy if you're both...like me!
SLEEP AWAKE is a game I saw in my email, having never heard of it. I redeemed the key on a whim, and dear lord, am I happy that I did. The four hours I spent in The Crawl as Katja were full of intrigue, some genuine scares, and a hell of a lot of enjoyment.
The SILENT HILL 2 remake is finally on Xbox, and it is the best version of the amazing title yet.
In a year full of genuinely incredible games, I’m more than pleased to have found another one that you should immediately look to pick up. I beg you, don’t let Sektori pass you by. This is an utterly mesmerising and innovative twin-stick arcade shooter, packed full of content and modes and with a level of challenge that ticks all the right boxes. Now to take on those harder modes – I’ll see you on the leaderboards!
A.I.L.A is a solid experience, with a strong beginning and end, let down by a weak middle. If this version of VR existed in the real world, then the medium would have taken off far more than it ever did. It’s a good setup for a horror game, and fans of the genre would do well to check this one out sometime.
Despite my issues with the game, Ire: A Prologue is one of the better survival horror titles I’ve plated. It’s got a good lore backing it, a great performance from the cast, and the objectives chance often enough to keep gameplay fresh. Emily might chip in to occasionally help the player, but you’ll be doing most of the puzzle solving on your own. Against the precipice of a terrifying-looking monster hunting you down in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle, this is easily a game that’ll terrify you to bits. If this is a start to a franchise, this is definitely a good one. ∎
Dave the Diver is an excellent, enormous title that is best left as vague as possible. Go in without looking too deeply into it and be ready for dozens of hours of some of the best that video gaming has to offer.
Monsters Are Coming! Rock and Road hits PC Game Pass and is another solid Survivors-like for those who haven't had their fill.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is an absolute riot. It's not afraid to rely on copious amounts of nostalgia, while also pushing the series forward in the most logical direction. Treyarch have looked back at Black Ops 2 and 3 for inspiration, and have delivered a fantastic Call of Duty, full to the brim of incredible content.
Ultimately I don't think Double Dragon Revive is going to bring the revival to the franchise the title claims. There's something here and I reckon another year of development, polish and tweaking could honestly result in a legitimately great scrolling beat 'em up. But as it is right now - especially at an asking price of around $50AU, it's difficult to justify for anyone outside hardcore Double Dragon fans or scrolling beat 'em up fans that just want something to play before something better comes along.
To sum up, Winter Burrow is a gorgeous-looking game. The art style was really appealing and the storyline which wove it together was both endearing and heartwarming. However, as a newbie I did wish that there was more instruction, and I think that this may be an issue for others who are new to survival games.
RENNSPORT has all the core elements in place to be an engaging and accessible racing simulation. A handling that feels solid even a controller, a more welcoming approach than most hardcore sims have, and a lot of solid ideas to have great racing going at all times – against the AI and online alike. Yet, with only 12+2 tracks, a limited selection of cars, a lack of polish in many areas, various missing features and a confusing microtransaction model, it needs more time in the oven to truly become an essential racing simulation.
Kentum is a rare gem—funny, smart, and mechanically rich. It’s the kind of game that sneaks up on you, then refuses to let go. If you loved Tiny Rocket Lab, this is its chaotic, sarcastic older sibling with a PhD in cloning and a minor in existential dread. Whether you’re here to build the ultimate base, explore a mysterious world, or just laugh at ORB’s one-liners, Kentum delivers.
Pigeon Simulator is the definition of ‘fine’. While it does nothing great, most mechanics work just well enough to allow for fun when in a group. It is a poor experience solo, though, so unless you have a friend or three, which is made easier as a Day One Game Pass launch, it may not be for you.
Let Them Come: Onslaught is a quality bullet heaven experience. It offers a lovely art style, an exciting soundtrack and an intense difficulty with well-designed level progression. It is, however, a bit on the short side, with only 4 levels, 2 characters and not a huge build variety.
It’s one of the best multiplayer games of the year, standing toe to toe with the giants in the genre. I’ll see you topside.
Great gameplay, solid storytelling, and a fantastical premise make this survival-crafting game well worth checking out, even if you normally dislike the genre, like I do.